I'm basicly an atheist\agnostic, and I used to believe in a god but life is so much better now that I've thrown those chains off.

So true. And that truly is suprising when you think about it.

Everyone likes to believe that with God all things are possible and that God is all-wise, etc, etc, etc. Yet they lock God in a box of very mundane and restricted ideas.

One thing that I've come to realize is that whatever I can imagine, surely a supreme being has imagined even better! Therefore the greatest things that I can imagine must have surely been outdone by "God". Knowing this it should be fairly obvious that the greatest picture I can imagine of God must necessarily be a lesser picture of God then what God would truly be like.

Well, clearly the scenario that Skyhook has proposed is a far greater picture than the idea of ending up becoming the eternal servants of an egotistical Godhead that demands to be worshipped in specific ways lest he cast his servants into hell. That's most certainly not the greatest picture I can imagine for a God. On the contrary that's not even a pretty picture. Personally I'd rather atheism be true than to discover that we're all just the personal pets of an egotistical God who is very easily angered over petty things.

So lets all pray to the powers that be that if they exist they are at least as benevolent as some mortal humans that we've met. I just can't imagine a God that is meaner than myself. Yet that's precisely what would need to be true for some of these religions to be true. That just makes absolutely no sense to me. Also, I have no desire to be worshipped and served by other people, why should God?

Surely God can't be more needy than me?

If there is a God that God must surely be more intelligent than the most intelligent mortal person we've ever encountered. That would rule out any and all dogmas that claim to be the voice of God since all exisiting dogmas demand that God be less intelligent than most mortal men and women.

.

Because living is fun. It doesn't need a purpose.
This is the only life you get so live it up. Make the most of it.

I believe in a good breakfast every morning

I agree Adam I posted a similar threat stating that if i spend my whole life believing in God and Im wrong then i just die and thats it but what if you spend your whole life believing there is no God and youre wrong, then that would suck. So my worst case scenario is living after the teachings of Jesus and helping my fellow man and in the end mabey ill be remembered as a good man. but athiest/agnostic worse case scenario is eternal damnation.. hmmmm leeme think which path i wanna choose........................

But what if the Muslims were right all along and you are damned anyway?
By that logic you'd have to follow every religion just to be safe.

Or atleast the ones that promise eternal damnation for not believing. I can only think of two...

My statement is merely a reference to my life and what is according to my beliefs. My belief says heaven or hell one or the other, the opposite being agnostic/atheist which isnt religion at all therefor im not attacking a belief in non-belief. Where as usual any statement made on here "pro-God" is used as a platform for those who dont have any faith in God to attack our belief structure. Personally i'm not Jesus i'm human and i have alot to work on in perfecting my walk with God. I couldn't really care any less what religion,faith or belief system anyone else operates on or lack of for that matter. The fact is alot of worthless wasted effort is expended in trying to prove to christians there are other faiths and beliefs out there and that maybe our isn't right. We know where we stand with our faith and won't be moved where as most of you don't have a clue where you stand and that why you jump onboard with whatever religion or belief or rebellion to a belief structure that suits you at any emotional given moment. At least 5 years from now my faith in my religion will have been molded and grown stronger, whereas agnostics/athiest will be in exactly the same place they are today.... unconformed faithless people just waiting to die.

Why would that suck??? YOUR black and white 'image' of god and life is rather narrow and subjective.

You make it sound as though faith was some kind of Las Vegas style 'edging-one-bets-wager'!!!

Again, where did you get this 2 bit cracker jack logic???

Are you seriously suggesting that if one isn't following the teachings of Jesus, one is therefore following a 'false' religion, is an atheist/agnostic, is not helping his fellow man, will not be remembered as a good man, and will 'win' eternal damnation to boot!?!!?

Are you suggesting that I, since I do not subscribe to YOUR point of faith, or my jewish and muslim neighbors, whom do not not 'follow the teachings of Jesus',
... are not helping our fellow man,
... are not decent human beings,
... do not uphold high ethical and moral principles, including the one about '... not judging others on their choice of faith...' or beliefs,
and shall somehow die profoundly ignorant of the virtues that YOU claim holding true through your choice of religious practice?!?!?

Are you further suggesting in a most primary fashion, that athiests/agnostics are somehow virtue, moral an ethic less!?!?!?



That's right, you are not attacking beliefs, YOU ARE ATTACKING PEOPLE DIRECTLY!!!

You believe there is a christian/biblical god. That's fine. That's the legitimate extent of YOUR belief and faith, and stating that fact anyhwere you speak and write could never be perceived as an attack towards anyone else.

But that legitimate faith of yours ENDS where someone else's faith, belief system, spiritual convictions start. Your beliefs give you no right to judge or condemn others to 'damnation for eternity'!!! Or judging them as not being committed to serving their fellow man, not having morals, ethic, or virtue!!!

And yet, that is what you have consciously or unconciously achieved with your, while defending yourself from having done any such thing.

The agnostic whom 'believes' that the concept of 'god' is unknowable, has no moral lesson to receive from you. Same with the atheist, whom holds that there is no 'god'. They enjoy the same legitimate right to believe as you do, without the need to endure your 'moralistic' plague.

So it is for the judaic, muslim, buddhist, indhu, or multitude of other 'theist' believers out there. No one can go around suggesting that they only have eternal damnation to look forward to, simply because they do not believe as you do.



This is a profoundly confused perception of the facts.

Whether conciously or unconciously, you are the one attacking people whom do not share YOUR legitimate beliefs. When you claim:

'... So my worst case scenario is living after the teachings of Jesus and helping my fellow man and in the end mabey ill be remembered as a good man. but athiest/agnostic worse case scenario is eternal damnation...'

... you are attacking atheists/agnostics as people whom do not help their fellow man (void of altruistic virtues), and whom will not be remembered a 'good people', thereby casting upon them, eternal damnation.

These people read such ludicrous statements, reply that the statements are way out of line, completely incoherent and unacceptable, and get further judged as 'attacking your beliefs'!!!

That is preposterous!




See what I mean!!! Who are you to cast all these unjust, misleading, dishonest, and outright divisive judgments.

Who are you to suggest, since I don't believe as you do, that I ...

'... don't have a clue where you stand and that why you jump onboard with whatever religion or belief or rebellion to a belief structure that suits you at any emotional given moment...'

or,

'... agnostics/athiest will be in exactly the same place they are today.... unconformed faithless people just waiting to die...'

Where do you get these 2 bit delusional dogmatic idiocies?!?!?

And I should simply read through and not reply, or take the risk of being accused of ATTACKING YOUR BELIEFS!!!

Preposterous!!!

Be strong in your own beliefs, that is your right. But be very clear that anytime you will lack respect towards those whom do not believe the way you do

'... have no clue where they stand...' and '... are just waiting to die, with only damnation to look forward too...',

those people will reply and address YOUR ATTACKS on their beliefs and convictions.

Respectufully.

What a sorry life must that be when you NEED a god to live it.
Most people find another purpose in life and are quite happy.

one only jump off a cliff, if there were no god, if itself only serve itself, and see not it's own importance, is seen, when it see it is here, to care for those it love, but then nothing can feel such, less it love something else, and most what a belief to live, to serve a supreme being, cannot provide, nor create within any mortal, and most how a belief seperate self, from the true sight, that god is but other people's...

Quite frankly, people who think like you do scare the hell out of me. (Suicidal is the only word I can think of for it.)

So you have no appreciation for life without believing in a "supreme being?"

Unbelievable.

You ask, "Why care about anything?"

Unbelievable.

That we exist at all is a miracle regardless what your explanation for it is.

It is RELIGION ITSELF that is full of false lies, and tries to define "God" in a way mere mortals can understand that term.

But the proof of the pudding is simply that you DO EXIST! You do live! That is the miracle. That should be enough for you to appreciate life!

If it isn't then by all means, go jump off a cliff.

Unbelievable.

well said JB

This Missouri city gal doesn't argue with fence posts.

know what???? i'm tored of the bs..... i have prayed and prayed for someone (sometimes selfish i admit) but nothing... funny thing is i felt an urge to go to my old hand old (a bar) and went and was told of many miracles from non=believers to make you say wtf?????

i'm still struggling but i'll be damn if anyone takes my beliefs away

I dont think the afterlife should be played like a game or a "safe bet". I choose to live my life free from worries and fears about "what's gonna happen when I die?"

Is life just some big game to test how well we can behave while we are on earth, then we get rewarded or punished based on our beliefs? Sounds a bit over the top and melodramatic to me. I say just live how you wanna live, do what you wanna do, be happy, and dont be scared and worried all the time.

I know in my heart that I'm a good person, and my higher power also knows this about me. That is good enough for me to live a guilt free, worry free, and happy life.

I really don't care what anyone thinks anymore

Sounds like you need a flower and a hug rose.